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Walters Ms. W.555, Koran

This illuminated fragment of the Qur'an contains chapter 25 (Sūrat al-furqān), verses 21-32 and 39-78; chapter 26 (Sūrat al-shuʿarāʾ);
and chapter 27 (Sūrat al-naml), up to verse 40. It probably dates to the late fifth century AH / eleventh CE or early sixth
century AH / twelfth CE. The text is written in the New Abbasid (broken cursive) style in black ink and is vocalized with
red dots and blue circles, the latter for sukūn. Single verses are separated by illuminated rosettes, and groups of five verses
are indicated by the letter hāʾ in the form of a teardrop in the margins. Marginal medallions are also used for larger verse
groups. The black leather binding is modern.

Date

5th century AH / 11th CE -- 6th century AH / 12th CE

Origin

Central Arab lands

Form

Book

Genre

Scriptural

Language:

The primary language in this manuscript is Arabic.

Support material

Paper

Brown laid paper

Extent

Foliation: i+83+i

Collation

Catchwords: None

Comments:
Lacuna after fol. 4b

Dimensions

10.5 cm wide by 16.5 cm high

Written surface

6.0 cm wide by 10.0 cm high

Layout

Columns: 1

Ruled lines: 5

Contents:

fols. 1a - 83b:

Title: al-Qurʾān

Incipit: يكة او نرى ربنا لقد استكبروا فى انفسهم ...

Hand note: Written in a large New Abbasid (broken cursive) style script with pointed serifs in dark brown ink; vocalization indicated
by means of large red dots and blue circles, the latter for sukūn

Decoration note: Single verses separated by rosettes; groups of five verses indicated by the letter hāʾ in a teardrop form in the margins;
marginal medallions used for other groups of verses such as ten, twenty, etc.; illuminated six-pointed star on fol. 12b indicating
prostration (sajdah)

Decoration:

fol. 1a:

Title: Illuminated headpiece with arabesque design and marginal medallion at left

Form: Headpiece

Label: This headpiece is illuminated in gold and decorated with an arabesque design. There is a marginal rosette at the left.

fol. 12b:

Title: Text page with marginal illumination

Form: Marginal decoration

Text: Chapter 25 (Sūrat al-furqān)

Label: The first marginal form indicates verse 60 of chapter 25 (Sūrat al-furqān), and the second, in the form of a six-pointed star,
indicates prostration (sajdah). The star is painted in black, red, and blue.

fol. 18b:

Title: Chapter heading executed in gold ink with red outline

Form: Chapter heading

Text: Chapter 26 (Sūrat al-shuʿarāʾ)

Label: This is a chapter heading executed in gold ink with red outline, from which extends a small palmette outlined in red and blue.

fol. 65b:

Title: Chapter heading executed in gold ink with red outline,

Form: Chapter heading

Text: Chapter 27 (Sūrat al-naml)

Label: This chapter heading is executed in gold ink with red outline, from which extends a small palmette outlined in red and blue.

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode.
It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of
manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.